On Board back for fifth year
Stand-up paddle boarding event aids cancer society
On Board will be back for its 5th summer to continue to raise money for cancer research.
Created and hosted by Welland resident Maddi Leblanc, the stand-up paddle boarding event invites people out to enjoy a day on the water. Funds raised are donated to brain cancer research in honour of Wellanders Julia Turner, Lynn Lambert and Dalton Jacques, who have each died of cancer, and also in honour of McKenna Modler, a young woman from Gananoque, Ont., still battling cancer.
In 2017, the event had about 50 paddlers on the water and raised $9,000 for the cause. This year, Leblanc hopes to crack the $10,000 mark.
It takes place July 15 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at Welland’s PenFinancial Flatwater Centre.
The event has evolved over the years and is changing again.
“It’s going to be a lot bigger and a lot better this year,” Leblanc said.
In the past, the event featured a 10-kilometre paddle for participants to take on with their standup paddle boards, canoes or whatever other kind of paddling they wanted to do.
This year, it has been reduced to a five-kilometre stretch in the morning until about noon.
Leblanc said after lunch, the Ontario SUP Series, which hosts stand-up paddle boarding races, will be having races from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
This partnership came to fruition after 2017’s On Board event. Leblanc said some of Ontario SUP Series’ members took part and spoke about how great the water is, suggesting the addition to On Board.
From there, Leblanc decided to get in touch and invite the organization out.
Like last year, the day will also feature stand up paddle boarding demos on land. While there is yoga again, it will be on land.
At the end of the day, participants are invited out to Mr. Mike’s, where portions of the proceeds from meal purchases will go to On Board’s fundraising initiative.
There will also be live music from local groups Revive the Rose and The Hot Tamales.
Next Tuesday, Leblanc will be at Welland council asking for the city’s support with promotion.
On April 7, there will be a prefundraising event at the Black Sheep Lounge in Welland from noon to 4 p.m.
She described it as a day to come out to enjoy music and food while learning about On Board and stand-up paddle boarding. There will also be a donation jar.
Sign-ups for On Board aren’t open yet, but will be posted to the On Board Facebook page at maddisrideonboard.
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“It’s going to be a lot bigger and a lot better this year.”
MADDI LEBLANC
On Board event creator